Twine-cutter



(No Model.)

B. D. READ,

TWINE CUTTER. No. 262,187 Patented Aug. 1, 1882.

11v VENTQ R n. PETERS. PhclwLimngmphen Washmglon, n.c.

UNrTED STATES PATENT Grates.

ELLIS I). READ, OF W'OROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

TWINE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,187, dated August 1, 1882.-

Application filed December 8, 1881.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELLIS D. READ, of Worcester, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Twine-Gutter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view of the twine-cutter, in perspective; Fig. 2, a top view of the same; Fig. 3, a front view thereof; Fig. 4, a view opposite to the view in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a view of the under side of the cap separate; Fig. 6, a view of the under side of the knife separate.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My invention consists in a twine-cutter of peculiar construction, mounted on a ring to be worn on one of the fingers of a person, all substantially as hereinafter specified. As particularly convenient for this purpose, I mount the cutter on a ring, A, to be worn on one of the fingers of the person usingit. The cutter is composed of a cap or knife-holder, B, and a knife, (J. The peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of these parts, constituting my invention, I will proceed to specify.

The ring A is preferably made of a comparatively broad and thin strip of metal, as shown, so as to hold the cutter firmly on the finger of the wearer, and to be put on, worn, and taken off with ease; and, to adapt it to varying sizes of fingers, it is out across or severed on one side, as at a, the two ends at the separa tion lapping somewhat by each other, to allow them to spring out and enlarge the ring more or less. This feature is not designed to dispense with different sizes of rings, where the fingers of ditt'erent persons differ much in size; but it enables the ring to be fitted more closely, and to suit small variations in size of fingers, and thereby obviate the use of so many different sizes as otherwise would be necessary. The ordinary size and proportions of the ring are indicated in Fig. 1.

The cap or knife-holder'B is a solid block of metal, accurately fitted and soldered or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the ring,

onthe side opposite to the severed side thereof,

(No model.)

or preferably so. Its general size, form, and situation on the ring are indicated in the drawings. The cutting end of the cap should properly project beyond the ringsay about oneeighth of an inch-for better convenience in catching hold of the twine or string, and the other end may project to about the same extent beyond the ring, and thus sufficient length is obtained to hold and give proper length to the knife 0, which fits in a groove or depression in the cap, so as to be flush with its upper surface and lie fiat over the ring, as represented. The cutting-edge 0 of the knife is oblique to the sides of the cap, as shown, its extremity or long side reaching to, or about to, the end of the cap, which holds and protects it at its point or acute angle. This side or part of the cap which holds the point of the knife, forms a finger, b, by cutting away at (I, beneath it, over the ring. This finger serves to catch the twine or string and direct it against the edge of the knife,notwithstanding the latter lies fiat on the surface of the cap. The opposite side,f, of the cap extends as far, or about as far, as the finger side of the cap, and, being opposite to the edge of the knife, shields the same from injury and protects the wearer from injury thereby; and the cap being somewhat rounded at its salient corners, the whole cutter is perfectly safe to wear, and is not liable to catch hold of or injure anything. The knife-edge 0 preferably has its chamber on the under side, to enable the bend of the twine over the edge to be the more acute and the cutting off to be the easier. The knife is secured to the cap by a screw, D, which passes through .it and screws into the cap."

The holeg, through the knife, is, or best should be, oblong, as shown in Fig. 6, to enable the knife to be adjusted along to the right position as it becomes worn away at the edge by repeated sharpening. The whole instrument occupies only about the space of a seal-ring.

It is designed to place the ring on the forefinger of the left hand, with the cutting end of theknife pointing toward the back of the hand.

Although the instrument may be used by the wearer in the way most convenient to him self, the ordinary mode of use is the following: After the bundle has been tied, the twine or string near the knotis taken between the fore- The combination of the cap B, having the finger and thumb of the left hand, and then shieldf, the finger b, and the knife C, located the free part of the string is seized by the fiat upon and flush with the top of the cap, right hand and hooked around the finger I) of and having the oblique cutting-edge 0, sub

5 the cap and drawn taut against the edge of stantially as and for the purpose herein speei' 15 the knife as it is guided thereto and held by fied.

the finger of the cap. Only a slight force is ELLIS D. READ. required to sever the string. \Vitnesses:

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to M. H. GATES,

IC secure by Letters Patent, is F. A. GASKILL. 

